Always Me
by kiyone4ever
Summary: After Tiffany confronted her mother at the end of Runaway. Something inside Celine has finally broken and she is forced to confront her worst possible enemy... Herself! Please Read and Review.
1. Confrontation and Judgment

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi. Angel Raye created the Chibi Scouts and the Elysian and Crystal Scouts as well. I own none of these characters. I am making no money from this story and am only borrowing the aforementioned characters

**Always Me**

Chapter One

Ninetysix years in the future of the Chibi Scouts:

"Goodbye mother."

Those were the last words Celine Aino heard her daughter say as Tiffany left the visiting room. No one noticed the tear rolling down Celine's cheek as she was led back to her cell. Not that it would have mattered. For what was a single teardrop compared with the trail of tears behind her?

When she returned to her cell, Celine tried to immerse herself in the routine she had accustomed herself to. If she were able to, she would get drunk right now. She thought. Not that she felt any desire to celebrate or anything... Quite the contrary. It would be a relief to be able to not feel _anything at all_.

She picked up the journal she kept and prepared to write her entry for that day. But as she stared at the blank page, no words came. She set down her pen and turned to the very first page she had written after having been sentenced here. This was something she had never done before in the six years she had been here. She thumbed through her own words and whereas they had once sustained her and reflected the fire in her core, they now mocked her and lit a terrible emptiness inside her.

**'That brat has cost me everything!'** Celine's words screamed up from the paper. Suddenly Celine dashed the journal aside and for the first time in decades she cried.

Celine dreamt that night. She found herself walking through a dark tunnel that seemed to grow colder the further she went. Up ahead she could see a light and pushed on toward it. When she reached the opening, she found herself looking up at a bright blue sky which shown down on and reflected off walls of pure ice towering hundreds of feet high. Oddly though, it seemed even colder here than in the tunnel. In the middle of it all, she came face to face with someone very familiar.

_"Wh who? Who are you?"_ She stammered.

_"Why I'm you! Of course!"_ The other answered. _"Or maybe you're me."_ She smirked.

Celine saw that her other self looked much as she had before her powers had been revoked. The only difference was in her uniform: Wearing a black skirt instead of the orange one she had worn. The other seemed to regard her confusion with something akin to amusement and an icy glimmer sparkled in her eyes.

_"Where are we?"_ Celine wanted to know.

_"Don't you recognize this place?"_ The other smiled. _"Afterall, We built this! Well... I built this!"_ She exclaimed. _"You built that tunnel over_ _there."_ The other shook her head. _"I don't know why though. You spend so much time hiding in your little tunnel. You really should get out_ _more! Of course with all those wrinkles, I can understand why you wouldn't want anyone to get too good a look at you! I'm glad I don't_ _look like that!"_ Celine's companion laughed. _"But just look at this view! And I couldn't have done it without you."_

_"What do you mean?"_ Celine demanded.

_"You still don't know where we are, do you?"_ The other said. _"This is the inside of your heart, my dear. Beautiful... Isn't it? Here we have no one to bother us! Just the two of us here for all eternity!"_

Celine looked at the other with a growing sense of fear and panic. _"No! You're not me! You can't be me!"_

_"Celine... I'm more you than **you **are!" The other said with cold satisfaction. "You're weak Celine... You always have been... You're just lucky you've always had me to take care of you."_ The other said with cold satisfaction.

**_"No!"_** Celine shouted_. "That's a lie! Tell me who you really are!"_ She demanded

The other laughed scornfully and her appearance changed as her eyes glowed red and fangs grew pronounced. The nails on her fingers became claws. _"I told you... I'm you as you really are Celine. I am your truest self!" _

_"No!"_ Celine turned from the other and ran.

_"That won't help!"_ Her dark reflection told her. "_You can't outrun me. You can't get away from me! You belong to me Celine! You are mine! And I will never let you go!"_

_  
_Celine screamed.

Over the next few nights, the same dream repeated itself over and over. Then one night, she was in the tunnel again. Against her will, she found herself once more being drawn to that icy place where the other waited. She knew that no matter what she did, the result would always be the same. She could not run. She could not hide... And she knew without question that she could not fight this thing. This _thing _that was _her._ It was true. She admitted to herself. As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew it was true. But this night, the dream was different. When she reached the opening, the other was nowhere to be seen. Celine looked around. There was nothing. Then she heard something... Somewhere she could hear a child crying. Celine searched for the source and finally saw a small figure huddled in the shadow of one of the towering cliffs. She went towards the child; who did not appear to notice her approach and who was continuing to sob uncontrolably.

_Tiffany?_ Her mind wondered. _Is this what I did to you?_ As she got nearer the child, she could see that it was indeed a young girl, though her face was hidden in shadow. She began to reach a hand out to the child.

_"Oh stop that worthless crying!"_ A voice demanded and Celine saw the other standing behind the child. The child flinched and she struggled to bring her tears under control. _"Now what do we always say?"_ The other demanded of the child.

_"I'm a worthless fool who is unwanted and unloved and will never mount to anything._"

_"And don't you **EVER **forget that!"_ The other said.

Celine shuddered. there was something so familiar about the child's voice, but it was not Tiffany that she heard. Fear rose inside her as she asked the other. _"Who is this child? Why are you doing this to her?"_

The Dark Celine smiled cruelly. _"Everybody needs a hobby... Now,"_ She said to the child. _"Pick that worthless face of yours up and let_ _Celine here have a good look at you."_ She commanded.

The child slowly lifted her face and Celine felt a growing sense of dread as the face revealed itself: It was her own!

Dark Celine smirked.

By the next night, Celine had reached her decision. As the dream began again, she was determined to face it head on. There was simply no alternative. As she prepared to face herself again, she concentrated for a moment and made a change in her attire. _One last time._ She thought. Celine stepped out of the darkness and confronted herself.

_"Is this a costume party?"_ Her other mocked as she saw Celine wearing her old uniform. _"Anyway, I thought they gave that job to little sister."_

"Maybe, but this is my fight. And it seems appropriate somehow."

_"Your fight?"_ The other asked almost in disbelief. _"Don't you get it?_ _You can't out run me. You can't hide from me... And you can't BEAT me!"_

_"You're right." _Celine admitted calmly. _"There's no way I can escape you."_

_"Well..."_ Dark Celine smiled. _"I guess I have managed to get through that thick head of your's. Well! Make yourself at home! We're going to be here a while!"_

"I don't think so." Celine replied calmly.

_"What?"_ The other asked, smile vanishing.

_"I may not be able to escape you, but there is one thing I can do."_

_"And what's that?"_

_"I can destroy you." _For the first time, Celine smiled. She then walked right past her opponent to the child Celine, who was cowering in fear behind her.

_**"Stay away from her!"**_ Dark Celine warned and reached to stop her.

Celine grabbed her wrist and twisted it hard. She watched in satisfaction as her opponent grimaced in pain._ "How does it feel?"_ She asked and shoved Dark Celine aside. She knelt down beside the child and gently put a hand on the child's shoulder.

_"Don't worry. I promise you'll_ _be free from this place soon. I swear it."_ As the child looked up at her, Celine felt the first true warmth she had felt in years. Celine stood up and strode towards the exit.

_"Where are you going?"_ The other demanded and Celine could hear a touch of fear in her enemy's voice

.  
_"To make peace with my maker."_ Celine said without looking back. _"I suggest you do the same."_

It took a few days to take care of the necessary preparations. During that time, both her mother Gloria, and her grandmother had come to visit her. She found herself afraid to see them. She was far more afraid of facing her mother than facing Dark Celine. When she was a little girl, she remembered her mother comforting her after a nightmare. How she longed to have her mother comfort her again.

_But I gave up the right to that comfort long ago, didn't I... _Celine thought. She had sat through those visits saying little and holding herself as expressionless as possible. She knew they would write it off as just Celine being the Ice Queen.

Finally, she was ready. That night she awoke from her cot and looked out her cell window. Outside, the light of a full moon shone in the night sky. It was somehow appropriate, she thought with a smile.

At the Gates of Time, Sailor Pluto sensed something. It took a moment as she focused on it, trying to pinpoint its source. _No Celine!_ She thought. _This is not the right way! You must not do this!_

Mina awoke to the sound of the telephone on her nightstand. As she groggily reached for the phone, she looked at her alarm clock briefly: 2:17 in the morning. _I wonder who that could be?_ She thought.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Mina, It's Amy."

"Amy?" Mina felt a sudden knot in her stomach.

"Mina, I'm at the palace prison... Celine just tried to hang herself in her cell."

"I'm on my way!"


	2. Rescue

All right. First, the same disclaimer that applied to chapter one applies here as well. _PLEASE DO NOT SUE ME!_

Now that we have that out of our system...

Thanks to all of you who have read my stories and a Special thanks to _kawaii Jen, Richforce, jawmax, and CrazyInsaneAnimeFanGirl _for the reviews...

And; of course, to Angel Raye... **_THANKS!_**

**_

* * *

_**

Chapter2

Mina raced over to the palace hospital, where Celine had been taken unconscious but still alive. Amy was waiting for Mina when she arrived at the emergency room.

"How is she?" Mina asked worriedly. Inspite of all that had happened, and no matter what Celine had done, Mina was genuinely frightened at the thought of losing her granddaughter this way and could only wonder what demons inside her had driven her to this end.

Mina was also deeply worried for Gloria's sake. She had awakened Gloria immediately after Amy's call and instructed her to stay with Tiffany. She knew that the revelation of Celine's crimes had been devastating to her daughter and yet knew that Gloria still hoped to be able to make peace with her eldest daughter someday.

_Only now it might be too late._ Mina feared. She had promised to inform her daughter as soon as she learned anything about Celine's condition. They both agreed not to awaken Tiffany unless it became absolutely necessary. They would tell her together in the morning.

"She hasn't regained consciousness, but she's alive at least." Amy said wearily.

"Thank God!" Mina breathed.

Amy nodded. "And Thank God that Setsuna called me when she did. If it hadn't been for that..." Amy told her. "I think she will be all right." She said. "Physically at least." She added. "Mentally..." Amy paused. "I've put her under a 24 hour suicide watch under heavy restraints."

Amy looked at her friend squarely. "Mina, I want you to come with me over to the palace prison. The doctors on call here can take care of Celine's body... Putting her mind back together is going to be a tougher job... "

"I have a pretty good guess as to what the trigger was." Amy said. "But I need to try and find some clues as to why she responded like this. I am going to check her personal effects to see what I can find and I think you should be there too."

"All right." Mina agreed. "But what should I tell Gloria?"

"For now, just tell her that Celine's condition is stable and that she is being carefully monitored. Anything else will have to wait until she regains consciousness."

Mina nodded in agreement. "All right." She said. "Just let me give Gloria a quick call and I'll be ready to go."

Amy and Mina were escorted to Celine's cell by two guards who were instructed to remain outside. There had been no time to examine the cell earlier, but Amy had immediately given strict orders to seal it off until further notice.

The first thing Mina noted was the knotted bedsheet Celine had used to hang herself with, still dangling from the light fixture on the ceiling. The improvised noose lay where it had been discarded when Celine was cut down. The chair she stood on still lay on its side where Celine had kicked it out from under herself.

Mina shuddered at the sight. Whatever anger she had towards Celine, Mina still could not quite shake the long ago memory of when Chelsea had showed her a strawberry blonde haired little girl who would be her granddaughter one day.It was a memory of a time when they were all still innocent. The nightmare undreamt. _And how much responsibility do **I **bear in all this?_ Mina wondered.

"This must be her journal." Amy said, picking up the notebook and thumbing through several empty pages, tracking back to the last entry.

"As I suspected, the last entry is dated the day_ before_ Tiffany's visit. So we can be almost certain that was the trigger."

"But Gloria and I both visited her in the past few days." Mina objected. "She didn't seem to behave any differently than usual. If anything, she seemed even more cold and distant than ever."

"She had already planned this out by then Mina." Amy said. "I'd guess that whatever was driving her, she was afraid to face you and Gloria so she resorted to indifference to keep herself from losing control."

Mina shook her head sadly. She turned and picked up a second notebook off Celine's desk. "Amy... Look at this." She said as she began reading:

'I; Celine Aino, hereby leave this as an acknowledgement and attesting of my crimes.  
I cannot undo the harm that I have done, nor can I remove the pain that I have caused.  
I cannot mend the betrayals I have committed. Those wrongs I have committed can never be made right. I can do none of these things.

Neither can I escape or hide from this thing that I have become. I can no longer refuse to face that which I am.  
I know that I cannot be forgiven for what I have done. Yet I must ask for you to forgive me... and to forgive me for what I must do.  
I have to destroy the monster that lives in my heart. This monster that I have become.  
I am sorry mom... I don't know what else to do... I'm so scared and I can't live this way...

Mina handed the notebook to Amy, unable to read any further. Amy kept the book closed. She would need to study its contents later, but right now...

"Come on Mina. We'll go back to the hospital and check on Celine's condition, then I want you to go home and try to get some rest...

Several hours later in the recovery room, Celine began to regain consciousness. Her eyes had not yet opened and the first thing she was aware of was pain. Her entire body ached and her neck was sore and her throat ached. _Well... What did you expect? To wake up dancing on the head of a pin? _She quipped in her mind. Next her hearing stirred. She could her the hum and beeping of machines. This made little sense to Celine. She next tried to sit up, but realized that her arms and legs were being held in place. As her eyes began to focus, she could see the straps holding her arms. Her eyes finally adjusting to the low light in the room, it finally dawned on Celine where she was... She was still alive... And if _she _was still alive...

Then so was the other one...

**_"No!"_**Celine screamed.


	3. Confessions

All right! Thanks for the reviews everyone! Special thanks in this chapter to _Richforce. _

Also Special thanks to Aleena and Tasheena at SailorSenshiUnite.

And of course to Angel Raye and Naoko Takeuchi...

Thanks!

* * *

Chapter 3 

Doctor Ariel Mizuno flung into the room at the sound of Celine's screams. An orderly was already there, futilely trying to calm the increasingly panicking Celine, who was desperately straining against her restraints.

"Don't you see?" Celine pleaded. "I have to kill that monster! So I have to die! Please!" She looked and saw Ariel enter the room and implored her. "Please Aunt Ariel... You have to let me die! I have to! Please!"

"Hold her steady!" Ariel instructed the orderly. Celine was not likely to be able to escape her restraints, but she was pulling and thrashing at them so much that Ariel was afraid she might further injure herself. "Hotaru!" Ariel called out. "Get me 5 cc's of Benjisidrine! Stat!"

"Celine! Listen to me!" Ariel demanded. "Listen to me." She repeated as she fought to hold Celine's focus on her. "Listen to me..." She repeated again as Celine looked at her. Celine's eyes still showed a tide of panic, but at least Ariel had her attention for the moment.

"That's not going to happen." She insisted. "We will _treat _you, _talk _to you, I'll even_ hold your hand _if you want me to... We are going to do everything we can to help you... But we are NOT going to just let you die."

Celine began shaking her head, desperately crying. "No! Please! No... Please no Aunt Ariel!" She was begging with tears in her eyes.

Ariel's eyes glanced at Hotaru as she entered the room. At a nod from Ariel, Hotaru uncapped the syringe she held, double checked it and injected a dose of the sedative into Celine's shoulder. The struggling ceased as Celine slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Annika questioned her daughter. 

"I have to mom." Brooke answered her.

"Brooke..." Rei began.

"Celine has done some terrible things." Brooke acknowledged to her mother and grandmother. "But we were friends once and I can't just turn my back on that."

"I know." Annika smiled sadly. "I know..."

* * *

"Why?" Isao asked. "Why did she do it?" 

"Was it my fault?" Tiffany asked. Gloria gently squeezed her granddaughter's hand in comfort.

"No Tiffany." Amy answered her. "This wasn't your fault. Don't ever think that." Amy knew that the news of Celine's attempted suicide had hit Tiffany hard. Tiffany's reaction had been a mix of anger, grief, and confusion.

"Your mother apparently has been holding a lot of pain for a long time now... If you hadn't gone to see her, then something else would have triggered it. So don't ever blame yourself for any of this."

Amy hesitated. Among Celine's writings from those last few days were letters to the members of her family and to several of the other senshi. The very last letter Celine had written was addressed to Tiffany. Amy had some concerns about giving it to Tiffany; unsure at first how she might react, but it was necessary Amy decided.

"Tiffany..." Amy said. "When Mina and I went through your mother's things, there were several letters." Amy said carefully looking to each member of the Aino family present: Mina, Gloria, Tiffany, Minako, Isao, Chomei... "She wrote to all of you." She said then looked at Tiffany squarely. "But as far as we can tell, the last letter she wrote was to you, Tiffany." Amy said. "I think you should read it." Amy added and handed the letter to her.

Tiffany apprehensively took the letter from Amy. It was so confusing. She was angry, yet she was worried and sad. She was also curious: Why had her mother done all the things she had done to her. What had caused her mother to become like this. Her mother had never answered those questions before... Perhaps she finally had.

Tiffany began reading:

_'Dear Tiffany:_

_First I want you to know why I am writing this. I can't make excuses for the things I've done to you. I can't ask for your forgiveness. And I guess it's far too late for being sorry... Though I am sorry for all I have done to you..._

_But you asked me "Why?": And you deserve an answer for that._

_You see... It was a lie when I said you were unwanted and unloved..._

_It wasn't you... _

_It was me._

_It was always me._

_I've been jealous of you since before you were born... and I always knew that one day you would come to hate me._

_When I was ten, I was sent back in time to your Greatgrandmother. Myself and the other Chibi Elysian senshi. Of course I already knew the Sailor senshi, and the Cosmic senshi. I didn't understand why you hated me back then. I hadn't ever even met you and yet you and your friends all hated me. I know now that it was because just like your Greatgrandmother and the other original senshi, you already knew what kind of monster I was destined to become._

_It just seemed that every time I loved something, It was taken from me. _

_I know now that it was because **I** never deserved love. Monsters don't get loved. _

_Marrying your father was probably the one thing I did right in my life. I think he almost saved me... I had already pushed away one very good man because I was afraid of losing him... But your father... He actually was able to make me love myself again... at least for a while. And we had your brothers. It was all I could ever dream for. But then, people would hint about the next Venus Scout... And I always had a fear in my heart..._

_When I became pregnant with you, your father began suggesting the name Tiffany. When you were born, I knew you would come to hate me._

_I should have loved you, I just couldn't get past my own jealousy. I watched and saw how much your greatgrandmother, and your grandmother, and all the other senshi adored you, looked on you as they never did me. _

_I wanted to be loved like that... but I knew deep inside that I didn't deserve it. Your father loved you so much Tiffany. It was obvious from the day you were born, you were the world to him._

_And instead of loving you, I hated you. I hated you for having the love I wanted to have. I hated you because I knew you deserved that love and I didn't... I drove your father away... I wanted to punish both of us... You for having his love... Me for wanting it. And I couldn't do it without blaming someone else. I couldn't face that it was my own doing. That would have hurt too much to admit... So it had to become your fault... And I told your brothers that it was your fault because I wanted them to love me and I wanted them to hate you. _

_Tiffany... Please remember that none of what has happened was **ever** your fault. Remember what you told me? ...You were right._

_You have lots of people who love you. No matter what happens in your life, you will always have someone you can turn to. _

_And remember you are a strong young lady. You're stronger than I ever was. And you were right. You don't need me._

_Tiffany... I love you._

_Goodbye._

Tiffany finished reading the letter. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Tiffany." Amy said. "We are going to do everything we can to help her. And I'll be here to help _you _in any way I can. All right?"

Tiffany nodded her head.

Mina and Gloria nodded as well.. They had already seen the letters. Gloria had been shocked to discover that Celine actually blamed _herself_ and not Gloria for her father's death. _"I was scared." _She had written. _"I saw you on the news with that terrible youma and I was scared. I made Daddy go out after you. It was my fault Daddy died."_

"Tiffany." Gloria said. "I promise we'll get through this... Together."

* * *

Celine awoke to find a familiar face sitting by her bedside. "Brooke?" She asked in a surprised voice. "Why are you here?" 

Brooke smiled gently. "I thought you could use a friend right now."

"I thought you hated me." Celine said, turning away in shame.

"Celine..." Brooke began. "Celine, I never said I hated you... I hate many of the things that you've done. And I've been furious with you ever since I learned what you did to Tiffany...

"Let's be honest Celine. The things that you did are among the worst things one person could do to another..." Brooke stated flatly. "And the fact that you could do those things to your own daughter..." Brooke shook her head.

"But right now, a friend I once knew needs me." She said softening her voice.

"I never deserved a friend as good as you. " Celine said, turning back to look at Brooke.

"Look at you." Celine said, marveling at Brooke's youthful appearance, while thinking of the youth she had thrown away. "Look at us..."

"A pretty, young lady like you and an ugly old woman like me." Celine said.

"You just look mature." Brooke replied.

"No." Celine answered shaking her head. "I've been ugly for a long time. It was just no one could see it."

"I always envied you Brooke." Celine said. "You and the other Elysian Scouts... You all had such close and loving famillies. I envied how close you and your mother and grandmother are and how much your daughters love you. All of you... I envied you that even as I was pushing mine away...

"And then I pushed you all away, because I didn't deserve friends like you." Celine said.

"Why did you do this?" Brooke asked, gesturing at the hospital bed. "Why, Celine?"

Celine looked helplessly at Brooke. How could she expect her to understand? "Because," She said. "I can feel her... inside me. This thing that I became, that I _am... _She's still inside my heart."

"I know she wants to get out." Celine told Brooke. "She won't stop 'til she gets out again and I can't let her."

"Why didn't you turn to us for help?" Brooke asked sadly. "Let us help you..."

"It's too late Brooke. I have to destroy her now... Before I lose myself again." Celine squeezed Brooke's hand. "But thank you Brooke. Thank you for being here... I was right. You're a lot better friend than I ever deserved."

Brooke shook her head. "I'll always be there if you need me. Please don't push us all away again."

"I'll come see you later all right?" Brooke asked gently. Celine nodded.

As Brooke left, she had a very uneasy feeling. Something about what Celine said. Brooke planned to do a fire reading, but there was someone she needed to see first...

* * *

A short time later, Celine drifted into sleep. 

_"Welcome back Celine." _Dark Celine said. _"You and I need to have a little talk..."

* * *

_

Author's note: I'm sure that readers will note the reference to Benjisidrine. Not being trained in medicine or pharmacology, I opted to use a known ficticious drug to avoid making any inaccuracies concerning any currently known medicines. While Benjisidrine was given in ST:TOS as a Vulcan heart medicine, It was never stated that the medicine did not develope on earth or what its effects might be in human patients.

Thanks.


	4. Dark Celine Rising

All Right! Thanks Again for the reviews!

As Always: Thanks to Angel Raye and to Naoko Takeuchi!

Here is the 4th chapter. I expect to do two more chapters before the story is finished.

So secure your tray tables in the upright position and fasten your seatbelt. We're coming in and the landing just might get a little rough before it's over...

* * *

**ALWAYS ME**

Chapter 4

* * *

"Come in Brooke." Hotaru said with a tired smile as she opened the door. She was fairly certain whatever Brooke had wanted to discuss involved Celine in some fashion, but Hotaru was at a loss to figure why Brooke hadn't gone to Amy or Ariel instead.

It was strange, she thought. As Sailor Saturn, Hotaru had presided over Celine's trial and had been the one to pass sentence upon her six years earlier. Now; as a nurse, Hotaru was one of the people responsible for her care.

Surely Amy and Ariel were in a much better position to discuss Celine's condition, Hotaru thought. Unless... This concerned Celine's trial somehow? But that also made no sense... "Please sit down." She said.

"Thank you. Aunt Hotaru... I think you know I wanted to talk to you about Celine..." Brooke began hesitantly. "But... The truth is that I need to ask you something very personal."

Hotaru could see that Brooke was clearly uncomfortable with whatever it was she wanted to ask, meaning it was probably quite sensitive indeed. But Hotaru also knew that Brooke would not be here unless she believed it to be very important. Hotaru would trust her judgement as she slowly nodded.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Aunt Hotaru?" Brooke asked. "...When you were... _inhabited_..." Brooke said, trying to choose her words with care. "By Mistress Nine... " Brooke noticed Hotaru tense somewhat as she spoke it.

"Did you have any clues, or any way of knowing what was happening?"

Hotaru grimaced internally. Sensitive spot indeed. Mistress Nine had been Hotaru's greatest nightmare once, made all the worse because she had been real. A being of pure evil and malevolence inside her...

It was something that Hotaru preferred not to think upon much, but Brooke had come to her for answers, needing those answers. Brooke was obviously convinced that those answers were of paramount importance. Only time would tell if the answers were the ones she sought.

"Not really..." Hotaru began slowly. "I remember having fainting spells, blackouts... People would accuse me of having done terrible things I would swear I had no memory of doing...

"A few times... I was actually able to... It was like observing myself from the outside. It was frightening because I could feel myself saying and doing things and not knowing what. As if someone else were directing my body.

"It turned out they were..." Hotaru finished and realized.

"Did you sense something with Celine, Brooke? Something that may have caused her to attempt suicide?" Hotaru asked.

"If I'm right," Brooke said. "It's worse than that..."

* * *

Celine looked around her. The cold, orderly perfection of Dark Celine's citadel had been replaced with chaos. One of the towering walls of ice had developed a gaping crack. Another wall had collapsed completely. Trickles of water were beginning to flow and pockets of steam were venting into the air. 

In the center of it all, Dark Celine stood. Her face twisted in anger and hate. Her eyes; reflecting her ire, pierced through Celine with their hate.

"I thought we understood each other better than this Celine." Dark Celine said almost conversationally... yet with the coldest of undertones and malice. "We've been so good for each other for so long..." She said in a betrayed manner. "We were symbiotic... _sympatico _you know...

You offered a home for me, sustained me... You helped me grow stronger every day...

And in return... I protected you... lent you my own strength. I was the one who was there even when all your so called _friends_..." She sneered. "Abandoned you."

"We were so good together." Dark Celine repeated. "It's a shame it all had to end this way."

"_Good for each other!_" Celine spat back. "You took everything from me!"

"_My family, my friends, my husband, my sons... **My daughter!** _You stole it all from me!" Celine shouted in a tone that was as hot as Dark Celine's was cold.

"I protected you." Dark Celine replied. "The human heart is a weakness Celine. It's the ultimate vulnerability...

"I _protected _you from that weakness Celine."

_"Me? ...Or Yourself?"_

"You know Celine... You are becoming a **real** pain in the neck lately."

"I think I need to teach you a little lesson..." Dark Celine said.

* * *

Brooke Hino sat before the fire, trying to clear her mind and focus. As she had admitted to Aunt Hotaru, she only had her own suspicions and feelings at this point. There was no clear evidence to support any of it... 

Her mother and grandmother had always told her to follow her heart and to trust her instincts, but they had both cautioned her that she must know and recognize the difference between what was true and what she wanted to be true.

Brooke wished that she could ask her mother to do the fire reading with her. Her mother's ability often exceeded hers and she would perhaps have a more clear mind than hers... Grandmother's ability was strongest of all... but she; like all the original senshi, had been dealing with this for almost a century now and it would have been hard for her to set aside a hundred years worth of feelings.

The problem was that Brooke was very much afraid that time might be fast running out...

Then the images came to her...

_**"Kami-sama!"**_ Brooke whispered.

* * *

Celine smiled as if amused. "And just what are you going to do?" She asked. "You can't control me any more." 

"So _what_ are you going to do?" Celine asked again with a smirk. "_Bitch_ and _moan_ at me for the rest of my life?" Her smiled faded as Dark Celine coldly smiled back at her.

"Oh... No... I have something _much_ better in mind than that." Dark Celine's smile broadened as she looked like someone about to share the funniest joke in the world...

"I think Tiffany and I need to spend a little _quality time_ together."

Celine looked at her enemy with a look of hate and contempt. How dare she threaten Tiffany! Still...

"You're forgetting something aren't you?" She said.

"Oh? And what's that?" Dark Celine said with an insufferable look.

"You're stuck in this same worn out old body I am... And even if you _could _get control of this body, we're strapped down nice and tight."

"We're not going anywhere." Celine said.

Dark Celine shook her head and smiled some more. "Wrong Celine. _You_ aren't going anywhere... I can leave any time I want."

"You see Celine... They took _YOUR_ powers. They have no idea of _**MY**_ powers!" Dark Celine laughed.

"And thanks to you, I'm strong enough to leave this body."

"I can have MY OWN body now..."

"Forever young..."

**"IMMORTAL!" **

"And the _very first_ thing I'm going to do in that new body is to pay a visit to poor little Tiffany." She said.

"But I'm going to let you live Celine..." Dark Celine said in coldest satisfaction.

"I want you to live to see what I'm going to do to your family and your world."

"And there isn't a thing you can do to stop me..."


	5. Dark Venus

Once again, thanks for the reviews.

It's good to know that I was able to surprise some of my readers. I'd hate to be transparent.

jawmax: Minako will be in this chapter.

One clue to the beginning of all this is back in chapter 1. Celine missed it because she mistook Dark Celine as merely being part of her own mind. (Email me if you think you can tell me what it is...)

As far as what Dark Celine wants with Tiffany...? We'll just have to see...

And As Always, Thank You Angel Raye and Naoko Takeuchi!

* * *

**Always Me**

Chapter 5: **Dark Venus

* * *

**

Celine looked on in horror as a black cloud began to form and swirl around Dark Celine.

Dark Celine looked back at her almost pityingly.

"Oh, Celine." She said. "Don't you see? I would have taken you with me! As weak as you are, we were still a team. I wasn't going to let you die in here old and forgotten. You would have joined me in immortality!

"...I guess eternity is just for one of us now...

"Good-bye, Celine." Dark Celine said as she drew up her powers and prepared to severe the link between them.

"No!" Celine screamed as Dark Celine left her amid the wreckage of her own heart.

Just outside Celine's body, the black cloud appeared into the physical world and began to take shape.

_Excellent!_ Dark Celine thought as her new body formed. Her appearance was as it had appeared to Celine, right down to the uniform... Again the only difference being that she wore a black skirt instead of the orange one Celine had worn. She put a hand to the side of her face in satisfaction as she touched the youthful skin.

At the same time, she regarded Celine's withered body strapped to the bed. _Well, it was her choice..._

Dark Celine smiled as she felt the strength of her new body. Yes, this would do nicely, she thought. Her smile became a grin as she congratulated herself:

**_Dark Venus is born!_**

Celine fought to bring herself awake. Her eyes opened to see the authoress of her nightmares standing above her. She struggled against her restraints to try to do _something_! But there was no way she could get free and it seemed to amuse her enemy to watch her try.

**"Help me! Somebody! Please help me!"** She screamed.

Hearing the commotion in the room, the guard posted outside entered, only to find himself confronted with Dark Venus. She smiled. This was a simple problem that only required a small bit of hypnotic suggestion to handle.

"Close the door." She commanded.

As he obeyed her, Dark Venus smiled brightly at Celine.

"Now..." She instructed the guard. "You will wait until after I leave and then you will return to your post and forget that anything has happened ... or that you ever saw me." She could have simply destroyed the guard as soon as he entered, but that would have been messy and it was better for now that everyone would see the guard diligently at his post and all was well...

As she was about to exit the room, Dark Venus turned and smiled at Celine again. She turned to the guard and this time spoke directly into his mind.

_"Remember ... you're guarding a very dangerous and deranged woman here. She'll say or do anything to get free. She's very delusional and will probably start yelling or screaming any moment now._

_"You need to ignore her completely"_

After she finished, she gave Celine a very satisfied wink and left the room. _It was also much more fun this way..._ She added to herself as she went to look for Tiffany.

* * *

"All right Tiffany." Cosmic Venus said. "That was a good warm up. Are you and Minako ready to run the first exercise?" 

Crystal Venus nodded her head that she was.

"How about you Minako? Her mother inquired.

"I'm ready." Elysian Venus answered.

Gloria smiled at her younger daughter. Minako had also been shaken by Celine's attempted suicide and by the letter Celine had left for her.

_"I'm sorry I wasn't much of a sister..."_ She had written. _"I shouldn't have shut you out like I always did... I resented you. I hated you for your happiness... And I hated you because I felt like you were taking mom away from me. _

_"If I had been a real sister, that boy would never have been in the house that night ... or at least I should have been backing you up and protecting you instead of threatening my own sister._

_"I was never much of a sister, but I'm glad Tiffany has you as her Aunt."_

But Minako was handling it and it had even been her suggestion that it might be good for her and Tiffany to spend a little more time together. She had suggested that extra senshi practices be scheduled for her and Tiffany. Amy thought this a very good idea and everyone decided that Gloria would run those extra sessions with Mina promising that she would join a session with them as well...

Gloria was glad that Minako was there for Tiffany. She was glad to see her family pulling together for each other.

Still, Gloria could not help but wonder at what might have been. _I know mom was bound by the oath not to interfere. But what could I have done? Where did I fail you Celine...?_

She pushed those thoughts from her mind.

"All right..." Cosmic Venus said. "Let's begin..."

* * *

Brooke tore down the halls of the hospital as fast as she could. She only hoped she could get to Celine before it was too late. As she neared Celine's room, she sensed a tremendous evil. 

She saw the guard calmly standing his post.

But as she got closer, she could plainly hear screams coming from inside the room. Why was the guard so oblivious? She wondered as she reached for the door knob.

**"Help me! Please help!"** Celine was screaming as she thrashed at her restraints, surging and pulling, trying desperately to get free.

"How long has she been doing this!" Brooke demanded of the guard.

"A few minutes now." He said calmly with a smile. "It's best to just ignore it."

Brooke frowned at the guard and sensed where something evil had brushed his mind. Celine was still thrashing and crying as Brooke grabbed hold of her shoulders.

"Celine! It's all right! It's me, Brooke!"

Celine stopped thrashing as she recognized Brooke, but she was crying uncontrolably.

"Celine! It's all right! I _saw_ it Celine. In the fire. I _saw_ it."

Celine shook her head. "It's too late." She said. "She's gone after Tiffany..."

"Don't worry... We'll stop her." Brooke said in determination. She began to release Celine's straps.

"Hey! Wait!" The guard protested. "She's dangerous! You can't do that!"

"Tell me." Brooke said without looking at him, as she continued to remove Celine's restraints. "Why is the flap on your radio pouch unsealed?"

The guard looked and noticed that; infact, that flap was open. But it was basic procedure that officers always secured both their gun holsters and radio pouches when not in use.

"I... don't know..." He said in confusion.

"Celine... You wait here."

"No." Celine said and grabbed Brooke by the arm. "Let me come with you!"

"Out of the question Celine." Brooke replied. Then more gently added: "You aren't a senshi anymore... You can't fight this battle."

"It doesn't matter Brooke. That is _my_ daughter out there and that monster... I swear if she lays one finger on Tiffany, _I'll rip her apart with my bare hands if I have to!"_

* * *

Cosmic Venus smiled as Tiffany went through a series of evasive rolls and then taking advantage of a distraction attack from Minako, landed a solid spinning kick on target. The simulated youma was knocked clean off his feet and opened wide for a combined attack from both Elysian and Crystal Venus. Their attacks hit, disintegrating the youma and ending the simulation. 

"Very good!" Gloria clapped as her daughter and granddaughter brushed themselves off.

They all looked up as they heard someone else clap.

"Yes, very nice." Dark Venus agreed.

_"Celine?"_ Gloria asked in disbelief. It was; afterall, impossible! Celine was under twenty four hour guard and in restraints. Not to mention that Celine had lost her immortality... Yet she looked exactly as she did _before_ her trial... The shock; which matched that of Tiffany and Minako, was plain in her voice.

"In a matter of speaking." Dark Venus said calmly. "I'm _not _that weak, pathetic child you gave birth to. She's still safely under lock and key...

"On the other hand, I'm more Celine than she ever was.

"You know..." She said. "This is almost just like old times! With all of us together like this. One happy family!

"...Except there never were any 'old times', were there?"

"What do you want?" Gloria demanded.

"Just this..." Dark Venus said calmly and raised up her hand at Gloria. **"Shards of Hate!"** She screamed and black energy shot out of her out-stretched palm. It slammed into Cosmic Venus and hurtled her backwards, to the ground, stunned.

_"Now Tiffany..."_


	6. No Greater Love

Sorry it has been a while since I updated! Negaverse agents at work have been keeping me trapped and drained alot lately!

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my stories and _Especially _for the reviews!

Once more: Thanks to Naoko Takeuchi and Angel Raye!

Here is chapter 6.Enjoy!

* * *

Minako eyed Celine carefully trying to gauge just how strong she was. _Celine..._ _Or whatever this is_. Minako told herself. Celine's interest seemed to be focused on Tiffany... Elysian Venus _might_ be able to catch her off guard if they double teamed her, but that would put Tiffany at considerable risk. Minako shook her head mentally.She had to get Tiffany out of there and then get some backup fast.

"Tiffany," Minako said. "When I move, you run." She instructed.

"If either of you runs," Dark Venus warned. "I'll destroy Cosmic Venus where she lays."

"What do you want?" Crystal Venus demanded angrily.

**_"Fight me Tiffany!"_** Dark Venus demanded. "I want you **both** to fight me!"

"I'll _still _destroy you all." She said assuredly. "But make it interesting at least..." She said.

_"...Or are Little Minako and Little Tiffany too afraid? Since Mommy and Grandma won't be able to help you."_ She mocked.

**_"Afraid!"_** Crystal Venus shot back. "I'm not afraid of you! And you won't win either!" She declared as she glanced at Elysian Venus who simply nodded back at her. The die had already been cast.

Dark Venus could feel the growing aura of anger surrounding Crystal Venus._ Good Tiffany..._ She thought. _Let your anger grow!_ _**Feed me with your hate!**_ _First I will feed on your hate... And then I'll taste your fear as I did before._ For it was hate that gave her strength, but it was the taste of **_fear _**that she relished._ Exquisite and delicious, _she thought._Soon the fear and darkness of an entire world would be hers to feed on..._

"Then come to your destruction my dear." Dark Venus smiled.

* * *

Meanwhile, Elysian Mars and Celine were following Dark Venus' trail. Though several minutes had passed in between Dark Venus' escape and Brooke's releasing Celine, they were easily able to follow her. For not only could Brooke sense the signature of her evil, but Dark Venus had left a trail of victims. Most of whom were in a near catatonic state from fear she had induced into their minds and had fed upon. 

Cutting across the south lawn enroute to the practice area, they found the grounds crew in a similar state. The head grounds keeper; however, was at least semi-responsive as Elysian Mars questioned him.

But as she questioned him, he began to stare at Celine. "_Those eyes._" He said. "_Those eyes! I can't get her eyes out of my head..." _He cried holding his hands to his head.

_"I could feel those eyes as she smiled at me... I could feel them going right through me... Please just make it stop! " _Having forbidden them to cry out, Dark Venus had left over a dozen such victims trapped in their own fear so far...

Brooke drew out a prayer strip to drive the darkness from this man. Celine; meanwhile, picked up a nearby shovel and waited for Brooke.

"Let's go." Celine said grimly.

* * *

Elysian Venus was grim as she dodged another one of Dark Venus' attacks. It was a two to one fight, but Dark Venus seemed to be holding the edge and she was pressing it. Elysian and Crystal Venus had started out by going on the attack , but Dark Venus' power, along with all the experience Celine had gained as Elysian Venus had quickly turned the tables on them. Her attacks seemed to be so fast that they scarcely had time to dodge. Let alone hit back... 

**_"Chain of Despair!"_** Dark Venus called out again.

...**"_Mars, Burning Stars!"_**

Dark Venus turned in surprise as she heard Elysian Mars issue her attack. Still, even caught by surprise, she was so fast that although close, Mars' attack failed to singe her.

**_"Shards of Hate!" _**She shot back at Elysian Mars.

"Well! Brooke!" Dark Venus said. This is a pleasant surprise!" Then turning to Celine, "How thoughtful Brooke! Now Celine can watch her mother, daughter, little sister, _and_ her best friend all die together before her eyes!"

**_"Venus Love Chain Lightning!"_** Crystal Venus attacked in her moment of distraction and a series of golden energy pulses lashed out at Dark Venus...

Hitting her.

"**_You Little Bitch!"_** Dark Venus shouted angrily in pain at Tiffany. Her eyes flashed red. **_"Shards of Hate!" _**She screamed out and dark energy slammed Elysian Venus, knocking her cold. **_"Chain of Despair!" _**She shouted as she aimed at Tiffany, who didn't quite manage to avoid it. Tiffany felt like she had been kicked by a mule as she tried to get back to her feet.

Elysian Mars grimly faced her opponent and hoped help would arrive soon.

"Well, Brooke? Do you think you can handle me?" Dark Venus challenged.

"_That's Elysian Mars._ My friends call me Brooke..." She said. "And I should ask if you think _you _can handle _me._"

"Let's find out! Shall we?"

As they faced off, the two were equal in terms of experience. In terms of sheer power and viciousness; however, Dark Venus still had the advantage. They fought trading move and counter-move until...

**_"Misery Whip!" _**Dark Venus shouted as she pulled a new attack out of her repertoire and a lash of black energy wrapped around Elysian Mars. It tightened around her neck and she began to blackout.

"I guess you lose Brooke!" Dark Venus said as Elysian Mars passed out.

"Now Tiffany." Dark Venus said looking down at Crystal Venus, who was still trying to get back up."It's time for you to die." Dark Venus smiled.

**_"Get away from My Daughter!"_** Celine screamed in anger as she swung her shovel at Dark Venus, Dark Venus seized the handle in mid swing and pulled it from Celine's grip. Tossing it aside as she backhanded Celine.

"You should have stayed out of my way Celine." She said raising her hand again as Tiffany looked up.

"Goodbye Tiffany."

**_"Shards of Hate!"_**

Time seemed to stretch from an instant into an eternity as the dark energy reached for Tiffany. In that split second, one worn and aged body moved faster than it ever had to interpose itself. Dark Venus' attack hit like a giant's hammer.

In the battle between the light and the dark, Celine Aino fell.


	7. Desperate Hour

Again, Thanks for the reviews and support.

As always: Thanks to Naoko Takeuchi and Angel Raye!

* * *

**Always Me**

**Chapter 7: Desperate Hour

* * *

**

Dark Venus' eyes widened in shock as Celine fell across Tiffany. _Why Celine? Why? I wanted to punish you for trying to abandon me... But I didn't want this! Why did you sacrifice yourself for this ungrateful child?..._

_"**You **caused this!"_ Dark Venus screamed at Tiffany, who was in near shock at seeing Celine fall_. "Why won't you **just die**!_ Dark Venus raised her hand. Killing Crystal Venus with her 'Shards of Hate' or 'Chain of Despair' attacks would be too quick and painless for this bitch, she thought._ I'll use my 'Misery Whip' and strangle her slow and painful..._

**_"Misery Whip!"_** Dark Venus screamed and cast the dark lash tight around Tiffany's neck. Tiffany clawed desperately at the whip around her neck as Dark Venus pulled it slowly tighter. Dark Venus smiled vindictively as she pulled ever tighter._ Take a look at me Tiffany, I'm going to be the last thing you see before you die!_

_**"Venus Love Arrow!"**_ Cosmic Venus cried as her attack severed the lash. Crystal Venus collapsed, gasping for air.

Dark Venus turned to face Cosmic Venus, who was standing very shakily before her.

"Well,_ mother_... Still trying to save your precious Tiffany I see.

_"Give up!"_ She urged Cosmic Venus. "You can hardly stand! ...Let alone fight me!"

"She doesn't have to." A voice spoke with authority.

Dark Venus; her eyes brimming with hate, turned calmly to face Sailor Venus and the majority of the Sailor, Cosmic, and Elysian Senshi.

"You always did have a knack for showing up to protect your dear Tiffany." Dark Venus spat in ire. She looked coldly at the assembled senshi.

"_My!_ Are you sure you have enough help, grandmother?"

"Enough talk Celine!" Elysian Uranus shot back.

"It's time we took out the trash!" Elysian Jupiter added.

**_"NO!"_** Sailor Venus commanded. The other senshi looked at her stunned. Elysian Uranus having a stubborn look of rebellion in her eyes.

_"No!"_ Sailor Venus said again. "As Scout Commander, I order you all to stand down!"

"Sailor Mercury, Cosmic Mercury, and Cosmic Saturn, take care of our injured!" She ordered. The rest of you are to form a perimeter, cover the others."

"This is _my _battle." She declared.

As most of the senshi followed her instructions, Sailor Venus felt Sailor Jupiter's concerned hand on her shoulder. "Are you _sure _about this, Mina?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, Lita." Mina told her. "It has to be this way."

"All right..." Lita said reluctantly, seeing the resolve on her friend's face.

"Just remember... I've got your back if you need me." Jupiter said as she stood back.

Venus nodded solemnly. _This nightmare has hung over my family for a hundred years... It ends today!_

Dark Venus smiled in cold satisfaction. "I've been waiting a _lifetime _for this!" She said. 

"I've waited _two_ lifetimes." Sailor Venus answered. "You've torn at my family for a hundred years and now it's going to stop!"

"Not before I destroy you, _grandmother_." Dark Venus sneered.

"I don't know who or _what_ you are, but you aren't my granddaughter." Sailor Venus said as she eyed Celine's still form on the ground in front of Tiffany. While Cosmic Mercury was taking care of Tiffany, Sailor Mercury was tending Celine. Amy's face was grim.

"And how would you know?" Dark Venus shot back. _"All these years! We've hated you! Even more than that miserable brat, we've hated you. You and the rest of the sanctimonious Sailor Senshi!" _

_"You did this, didn't you?"_ Mina accused. _"You twisted an innocent little girl against her family! You twisted her on her own child!"_

"It didn't require much effort you know. You and the others all made it so easy!

"_You _were the ones who abandoned her. You would protect _Tiffany _to the death, but not **_one _**of you stood up for _Celine _when Tiffany and her friends were doing their best to make her life a living hell!

"All the time and effort you went through to save precious Tiffany, but you gave up on Celine! **_You threw her away!_**

"So there she was when I came along... Alone, forgotten, filled with sadness and hopelessness ... and a growing anger and hate that she tried to suppress because she still wanted to please you somehow...

"I helped show her to release that anger and hate. I made her see that you would _**never **_accept or love her.

"And you _all _made it so easy!"

"You practically **_GAVE_** her to me!" Dark Venus goaded.

"And yet in the end, Celine was too frightened when she saw me. She wanted to destroy me because she was afraid...

"But we still hate you!

"And I am going to destroy you for both of us!" Dark Venus declared.

"Celine finally saw you for what you are." Mina answered. "As for destroying me... You're welcome to try..."

* * *

Meanwhile; as Ariel took care of Tiffany, Tiffany anxiously watched as Amy tried to help Celine. 

"How is my mother?" She asked.

Amy looked at her grimly. There was no point in trying to hide the truth:

"I'm sorry Tiffany. There's just too much damage... She's dying and I don't think I can save her."

Ariel put her arm around Tiffany in comfort as Tiffany wept for her mother...

* * *

With the assembled senshi as witnesses, the aggrieved battle between Sailor Venus and Dark Venus began: 

Driven by all the fury and hate her dark power could muster, Dark Venus attacked, an angry tempest. She drove fiercely down on Sailor Venus. Her entire being, a force of pure hate and darkness unleashed...

Sailor Venus met the onslaught. Her spirit fused with a fury of it's own. And whatever the strength of her opponent's dark power, Mina had three lifetimes of experience behind her.

Frustrated by an inability to overwhelm Sailor Venus with her fury, Dark Venus made her mistake.

_**"Misery Whip!"**_ She screamed out drawing forth the dark scourge, but she had failed to realize that she should have been closer to Sailor Venus with this attack.

In an instant, Sailor Venus saw her opening.

**_"Venus Love Chain Encircle!"_** She shouted casting out the golden chain...

But it had not been aimed directly at Dark Venus, rather it entwined around her Misery Whip. Sailor Venus began to pull on the entangled cords. Instinctively, Dark Venus began to pull back. As soon as Sailor Venus felt her opponents resistance on the line, she released her chain as she leapt forward into the air. With the tension removed from her whip, Dark Venus suddenly fell backwards. She chanced to look up as Sailor Venus brought down her orange heel.

_**"Sailor V Kick!"**_

Dark Venus was knock back by the blow. Angry and wounded, she got back to her feet. Sailor Venus spared her not one instant as she continued her attack.

_**"Crescent Beams, Smash!"**_

Dark Venus struggled to get back to her feet.

"It's over." Sailor Venus said.

Hunched over and breathing hard, Dark Venus shook her head. "This will... Never... Be over... 'For hate's sake'..." she smiled.

"So be it." Sailor Venus answered solemnly.

**_"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"_**

The world spun madly as Dark Venus reeled under the blow and fell.

Strangely as Dark Venus turned her head for the last time, she could see where Celine lay dying of her own injuries. How far they had traveled together. Now it ended.

_Celine..._ She thought as she felt her powers failing, _We almost had... Eternity_. With that thought, Dark Venus closed her eyes and faded back into the dark cloud from which she had come. The cloud quickly dissipated and Dark Venus was gone.

* * *

Sailor Venus turned from the spot where Dark Venus had vanished to where Celine lay stricken. Cosmic Venus held her arm around Tiffany, a tear running down her own cheek as Tiffany cried for the mother she had never known. Minako and Brooke were also awake and gathered with them. With tears welling in her own eyes, Mina went to her daughter's side. 

Desperately fighting the pain and darkness, Celine managed to open her eyes and looked to see her daughter crying.

"Tiffany..." She said weakly. "I'm sorry... I was never the mother you deserved.

"It seems even now, all I can do is bring you tears..."

Celine turned to her mother and grandmother. "I'm sorry I disappointed you both so much... Please keep taking good care of Tiffany." She smiled a fond gaze at Minako. "If you do as good a job with her as you did with Minako... She's going to do great things. I'm sure of it."

"Tiffany... _I love you_." She whispered.

"I love you too, mom."

_'Mom'_ Celine smiled at the thought and then closed her eyes.

Tiffany burst into tears.

* * *

"No Tiffany. This is not the end." A voice spoke gently. 

Tiffany looked up to see Queen Serenity and Sailor Pluto standing there. Princess Rini and Princess Chelsea behind them.

This is not the end." Serenity repeated as she held up the Silver Crystal. "Only a new beginning." She added.

At Serenity's mental command, the Silver Crystal began to glow and a warm light enveloped Celine in its loving embrace.

Sailor Pluto smiled as she watched time fulfill its promise at last.

Four generations of Venus Scouts watched in wonder as the light faded and a young girl opened her eyes...

* * *

Okay! Dark Celine/ Dark Venus maybe gone, but the story isn't quite over yet. There are still some explanations to be made and a tenuous new start in Chapter 8: **_New Dawn..._**


	8. New Dawn

All right! I've finally gotten some free time to get back to this story. 

Thank You to everyone for reading and extra thanks to **Richforce**, **kawaii Jen**, **jawmaw**, **Raya Light**, **CrazyInsaneAnimeFanGirl**, and **Silver Sailor Ganymede** for the reviews!

**And Absolutely Thanks to Angel Raye and Naoko Takeuchi!

* * *

**

**Always Me**

Chapter 8:**New Dawn

* * *

**

"_Celine_?" Gloria gasped in an amazed whisper.

"_Mama_?" The girl asked as she turned and looked at Gloria. Celine looked around a bit disoriented. She recognized her mother and grandmother, as well as the other Sailor Senshi and Cosmic Senshi... But she was confused by presence of what appeared to be other adult senshi... Who are they? She wondered. Strangely though, most of them appeared familiar somehow... She also wondered where the other Elysian Scouts were. Most confusing were two scouts who seemed to be in the outfits of Venus senshi... But how can that be? Celine wondered. Mom, Grandma, and I are the only Venus Scouts... Of the two, the one who appeared to be an adult was even wearing a uniform identical to hers, but Celine was certain that she had never seen her before.  
The younger one; however, looked uncomfortably familiar, though older than before... Celine thought.  
Celine looked down and saw that she was not in her senshi uniform as she had remembered being, but her school clothes that she had been wearing earlier. She also had no idea of how she had gotten to the training ground.

"Mama?" She asked. "What happened? How did I get here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Sailor Mercury asked.

Celine paused for a moment as she remembered:

"Brooke, Taylor, and I were fighting a youma." She answered. "Taylor almost got hit and I got one of its stingers in my arm. I remember it hurt, but that's all I remember until I woke up just now." Celine answered, still intensely confused.

"Are Brooke and Taylor okay?" She asked. "Where are they?"

From the crowd of senshi, Brooke fondly slipped a small smile. Taylor watched and listened in stunned silence.

"They're just fine." Gloria assured her daughter. _If what has just happened is what I think just happened... Does that make this my older daughter or is she my youngest daughter now? _Gloria pondered briefly. "You'll see them soon, I promise!" Gloria added.

"Don't worry, Celine." Sailor Mercury told her. "We'll explain everything to you as soon as we can, but right now I need you and your mom to come with me to the hospital so we can make sure you're all right."

Celine nodded her head. She hoped she hadn't done anything wrong. She never told her mother, but sometimes she felt like grandma was disappointed in her for some reason... It hurt that her grandmother seemed so disappointed.

"_Grandma_?" She asked looking at Mina. "Will you come too?" Celine querried shyly.

To Celine's surprise, her grandmother smiled broadly at her. "I promise I'll be right there shortly!

"_Okay_...?" Mina asked gently. First she would need to take care of Tiffany, but it would be wonderful to have her granddaughter again...

Celine nodded in comforted reassurance and smiled at her grandmother as she went to follow her mother and Aunt Amy to the hospital.

* * *

"How is Celine?" Gloria asked Amy several hours later. 

"Resting peacefully." Amy assured her. "I gave her a mild sedative so she could sleep for a while.

"Physically, she is in excellent health." Amy said. "I just didn't want to try explaining things to her before we had some idea of what happened, ourselves."

"_Well_?" Queen Serenity asked. "What _did _happen?"

"_Well_..." Amy began. "Based on what we have seen and from what Celine remembers, plus scans Marina took of Dark Venus, I would say that the answer lies in that youma's stinger that Celine mentioned."

"I checked Celine's old medical records and I found the report where I removed the barb from her arm. At the time, I checked the wound and the barb for any signs of toxins or poisons and came up blank." Amy explained.

"Setsuna, Ariel, and I now believe that this stinger infected or perhaps more _insinuated_ Celine with some form of neural parasite.

An embryo which telepathicly linked into Celine's subconscious and fed off of negative emotional energy."

"But how could it have gone so long without being detected?" Rei asked.

"Once it linked into her subconscious, it must have templated itself off of Celine, right down to replicating her powers." Amy theorized. "It was perfectly camoulflaged inside Celine's mind. I doubt that Celine herself would have recognized it as anything but part of her own mind...

"But, being a creature of negative energy, the result was closer to a photographic negative than a copy of the real Celine.

"None of us knew it, but Celine effectively became one person, but two minds. Only the other mind was aware of the duality and was able to use its link to affect Celine's emotional states. It manipulated her fears and insecurities in order to generate anger and hatred in Celine for it to feed on."

"But there were times when Celine seemed content and happy." Brooke pointed out as she remembered the early years of Celine's marriage to Tiffany's father.

"The entity never completely controlled Celine's emotions." Amy answered. "It could manipulate them, but only to a point...

"And we helped create an ideal enviroment for it, didn't we?" Mina said sadly as she recalled what Dark Venus had said: _'You practically **GAVE** her to me!_''

"Well, what matters now is that we may not be able to change the past," Serenity said. "But we have a chance to change the future..." Serenity counseled Mina, putting an arm on her shoulder.

Mina smiled.

"Both Celine and Tiffany will have obstacles to overcome in all this." Amy noted. "But if we are all willing to help them, both of them will be all right."

"Do not worry, Mina." Sailor Pluto said smiling warmly. "Though Celine is no longer a senshi, she still has a great destiny ahead of her. Just as you, Gloria, Minako, and Tiffany all do."

Gloria nodded in agreement but she still had a worry on her mind: "Amy?"

"Yes?"

"If I'm right, Celine is about eleven years old now, right?"

Amy nodded.

"That means she doesn't know her father has died yet..." She said worried.

"She will have to grieve all over again." Amy admitted. "But we'll be here for her. _That's_ what counts."

* * *

A few days later, Celine sat on her bed coloring. By discussion amongst Mina, Gloria, and Tiffany, they had decided that while Tiffany would continue to live with Mina, they would close the door adjoining Mina's and Gloria's quarters until Celine and Tiffany adjusted. Then perhaps they would open it again. 

Celine looked up at the sound of a knock at the door. She saw it was Brooke standing there. It was so strange to see her best friend all grown up.

Taylor had come by earlier. It had been an awkward visit as Taylor found herself unable to speak. She just hugged Celine as tears rolled from her eyes.

Even with mom and grandma, Celine felt so alone. Her dad was gone, her friends were all grown up...

"May I come in?" Brooke asked.

Celine nodded as she continued coloring.

Brooke sat down on the bed. "It's a real nice day outside, why not come out for a while?" She asked.

"I can't." Celine said. "There's no one for me to play with." She said sadly. "All my friends are grownups now and all the kids here hate me." She said as she remembered her visit to the past and meeting Tiffany and her friends there...

"That's not true." Brooke said as she put an arm around Celine. "They only knew a different Celine. Give them a chance to meet the wonderful person_ I_ know...

"And you haven't even met my older daughter, Tara." Brooke added as she searched Celine's eyes, smiling at her. "Come on!" Brooke said getting up off the bed and offering Celine a hand.

"Okay..." Celine smiled shyly. "Brooke...?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"Can we still be best friends?"

"We always will be." Brooke promised.

* * *

To Celine's surprise, she had a good time playing with the other kids. She especially enjoyed playing with Maiko, who was now ten years old. 

When she came back to her room hours later, she found a note on her bed.  
It read:

_'I cannot change the past, nor can I erase the pain I have caused you. _

_I can't make excuses for how I treated you._

_But I am sorry for what I have done to you and only hope that you will forgive me._

_I think it would be nice if we could be friends._

_Tiffany._

As a tear of happiness slid down her face, Celine carefully folded the letter and put it in the heart box on her nightstand.

Gloria peeked around the door of Celine's room as Celine closed the lid on the rosewood box that Minako had given her the day before, and carefully secured it with a little golden lock. Gloria smiled.

_Welcome home Celine...

* * *

_

**Coming Soon:**

**Chapter 9: Epilogue**


	9. Homecoming

Well, Angel Raye posted **Forgiveness **yesterday. If you somehow haven't already read it, I recommend you do... It's an excellent story and of course is the official Celine/Tiffany story. 

But I'm going to finish this story and we'll have another (hopefully good) story (Maybe consider it and **Forgiveness** akin to Tenchi Universe and Tenchi OAV... Just enjoy both!)

So thanks again to ALL my readers and GREAT THANKS to my reviewers!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ANGEL RAYE, for her inspiration.

* * *

Okay! This is just a short epilogue to round up this story. I hope you enjoy it! ...And watch for a curve in the road...

**Always Me** Chapter 9:

**Homecoming**

**

* * *

**

Thirtynine years later:

* * *

"Mommy! Celine's here!" Emiko cried happily to her mother and ran to her niece as Celine opened her arms.Celine looked up to see her grandmother smiling as she watched them together.

"We're glad you could make it Celine!" Mina said heartfelt and Gloria, Tiffany and Minako concurring.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world!" Celine said. "How many women my age get to go to their aunt's fifth birthday party?" She asked fondly. As Emiko released her hold, Celine embraced her mother and grandmother and then Minako and Tiffany.

Tiffany hugged Celine tightly. Officially, this Celine was considered to be one of Tiffany's aunts. Truthfully; from that tenuous beginning nearly forty years earlier, they had become as sisters to each other. The door between the two sets of chambers had been opened once more by mutual request less than six months later. Where once there had been pain, they had helped each other to heal.

Now when someone asked Tiffany about her mother, she thought about that sad woman she had met all too briefly and yet, who treasured her more than life itself... Instead of the monster who had tormented her for the first years of her life. Tiffany grieved that her mother had been even more than she a prisoner to that monster and that hate for so long and that Tiffany herself had even helped cause that cycle in the first place, but now Tiffany gazed into the face of the woman her mother had truly been destined to become and if the past held its regrets, from that long ago day forward neither Celine nor Tiffany would allow those regrets to shadow their futures.

Brooke remained true to her word. Not only had she become like another mother for Tiffany, she never forgot the long ago friendship of two little girls and helped young Celine find her way again in a world which at first had frightened and dismayed her.

Mina brought out her camera as she prepared to take a picture of "Her Girls" she called them all. After a century of sorrow, Mina's family had found happiness.

Mina smiled as they all clustered around little Emiko, who thankfully had never known any of the troubles her family had endured... She was about to snap the picture when a hand clamped down over the lens.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Lita asked.

"I was just about to take a picture Lita!" Mina protested as Lita took the camera away from her.

"Nope!" Lita said. "This picture won't look right until you get over there with that bunch Mina!

I'll take the picture." She said. "Now hurry up and get over there!" Mina smiled compliantly.

_Thanks Lita..._ She thought appreciatively as she gathered with her family.

* * *

Nearby, a woman of about sixty toured the grounds as part of a group. She wasn't quite sure why she had come here, though she had once worked as a maid here long ago...

Perhaps after three broken marriages, this place was a reminder of a time when everything seemed possible...

* * *

Dark Celine smiled as she caught a glimpse of Celine and Tiffany together with the rest of their family. _There's still time yet... We just might meet again Celine._

_We just might meet again..._

All right Jennifer, I think that's enough. We need to get home and get some rest before we catch the plane for the States in the morning...

* * *

With this story completed, I'm seriously asking all my readers to give me some suggestions as to my next few stories. Please check my profile page where I have listed some of the ideas currently being considered and TELL ME!

(Oh, And yes there is a logical reason as to how Dark Celine is still around. But not all mysteries need be answered at once...)


End file.
